Hoptical Illusion is an American IPA offering from the Blue Point Brewing Company. Due to of course ownership and the accepted guidelines for craft beer, this one does fall outside of that due to the ownership. With that being said, this “crafty” beer does provide similar quality to some offered by some of the craft breweries. This 7% ABV and 70 IBU beer does possess the qualities of the style, although I did find it somewhat muted in respect to taste, flavor and aroma. My Untappd rating for this beer is 2.75 and check out my video here to see my other thoughts on this ale.
Brewer Notes:
To brew this award-winning well balanced IPA, we add plenty of hops five different ways. Adding it five ways allows the “Essence of the Hop” to really shine through and give Hoptical Illusion its signature resiny, citrus-burst punch. From aroma to first sip, this beer is sure to be one of your new favorites.
Oats MacDonald Pale Ale is one more offering from the Great Lakes Brewing Company, and I recently had a chance to check this one out as part of their fridge filler variety offering. This Pale Ale poured out a brilliant and vibrant golden color with a good amount of foaminess for the head. The aromas did provide some of the qualities of your usual pale ale, although this one was a little more malty than expected. Carrying a 5.7% ABV and 35 IBU, even the non-hop beer lover may be able to slide into this one as a transition to hoppier beers. If you have had Lake Erie Monster or Chillwave then I would consider this almost a lighter version of those. The beer was a solid one for me as I gave it a rating of a 4 on Untappd. You can see more of my opinion on this one by checking out my video below.
Brewer Notes:
E-I, E-I-O! With creamy oats here and citrus notes there, this smooth golden Pale Ale recalls the grain silos and rolling acres that line our Midwestern highways and byways.
FLAVOR: Fruity hop aromas roam free-range through a bountiful field of oats and golden malt
PACKAGING: Fridge Filler Variety Pack
ABV: 5.7%
IBU: 35
PAIRS WITH: Roast Chicken, English cheeses, and fields of gold
The Lightkeeper from Great Lakes Brewing was one of their offerings of their fridge filler pack recently which I was able to pick up on a beer run. This was one of the four beers included and it is a Blonde Ale that carries an ABV of 6.6% along with an IBU of 30. The beer did pour a nice color and did have some good substance to it, but overall it didn’t do as much to really stand out and kind of sat as an average one for me. The flavors were okay but not very long lasting, and the aromas tended to also be faint. A bad beer by no means, but there was just not as much to it in my opinion which is why it may have been a part of a variety pack. My Untappd rating on this one was 3.25, and check out my video here to see the rest of my opinion on this beer.
Brewer Notes:
Inspired by Marblehead Lighthouse (the oldest operating on the Great Lakes) our Blonde Ale's effervescence is guided home by a shimmering beacon of dry and fruity hop flavors.
FLAVOR
Aglow with crisp hop aromas, an incandescent golden hue, and a smooth, navigable malt finish
Did someone say beer run? Oh yeah, I did. Deciding it was a nice day for one; I jumped into the cat and decided to venture over to Indiana in search of a certain beer. Unable to find the one for which the venture was created, I turned my efforts to others and was able to find fine substitutes. But why only stop there, on the way back I decided to hit one more spot in Kentucky and was also able to discover some pleasant surprises. Check out my video here to see what I found!
The Winter White Ale is an offering from Bell’s Brewery out of Michigan and the subject of this beerventure. This 5% ABV Witbier pours a nice golden hazy colored beer due to the bottle fermentation that takes place. The beer itself provides a good reminiscence of Belgian-style white ales with the aromas and taste that are often desired. Smooth overall, this beer makes a good offering in winter or spring in my opinion. My Untappd rating on this one is a solid 4 and well worth a try for anyone who enjoys this style. Check out my video review here to see more of my thoughts on this one.
Brewery Notes:
An alternative to dark and heavy winter warmers and stouts, Winter White is a stylish and refreshing Wheat Ale.
Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast, this blend of barley and wheat malts yields a mixture of clove and fruity aromas, all without the use of any spices. Deliberately brewed to retain a cloudy appearance, Winter White is a beer for embracing winter.
Alcohol By Volume: 5.00%
Original Gravity: 1.05
Shelf Life: 6 Months
FOOD PAIRINGS:
Winter White Ale pairs well with delicate fish, seafood, pork or salads. It also works well with spicy foods, bacon, Peking duck, eggs, eggs Benedict, octopus, omelets and sushi.
Dessert: Fruit pies or dishes like blueberry trifle, cranberry-apple cobbler or banana orange crepes.
Cheese: Butterkase, Mascarpone, Edam, Gouda and anything with herbs, cheddar, EMMI Le Gruyere, Blue Costello, Cambanzola, Gorgonzola, 3-year-old Grafton, Trader Joe's Goat Milk Brie (with the rind) or Cotswold with herbs.
